


Weight of the Living

by PlagueSimulators



Category: Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Dark Ritual (referenced), Gen, Older warden, Vague Timeline Setting, implied/referenced suicidal ideation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlagueSimulators/pseuds/PlagueSimulators
Summary: Avoidance is much easier than deception, sometimes.
Relationships: Implied/Referenced Zevran Arainai/Male Warden, Loghain Mac Tir & Male Warden, Loghain Mac Tir & Warden
Kudos: 3





	Weight of the Living

Marangoz took every chance he could, it seemed, to avoid looking at Loghain. He had first taken note of this in the dungeons of Fort Drakon, and again, more wearily noticed it when the Warden Commander addressed the Landsmeet as he conscripted the former Teryn. The only time the man made eye contact, it seemed, was when he was intent on cutting his throat. 

Or not, as it had turned out.

The pattern held to sparring. But as soon as they lowered their swords, Marangoz turned back to stalk away and inside. Not so much in a hurry to rid himself of dirt and grime as to avoid his Lieutenant, Loghain mused with some black humor. A much more tenacious filth.

He let the Warden clean and change in silence. Companionable in other company. He really had missed the simple, frank logic of one-to-one combat; pity it should be with a man who hated him. But beggars, choosers.

Not that he would honor that stoicism. The right turn of phrase came to mind just as Marangoz was making to return to the watery morning outside.

"If you detest my mere face as much as this, Warden, I must wonder why you took advantage of the witch's ritual at all. Do you regret it?"

The Nevarran paused, looking back over his shoulder. A brief glance turned into a flat, lingering stare. The dim light through the keep's windows gave his bronze face a sickly hue. 

He spoke after a moment. "I do. For reasons you haven't guessed, yet." The Commander's voice was quiet, rasping as a dulled blade. Again he dropped his eyes. Maybe he second-guessed his own words, or the saying of them.

Loghain watched the Commander’s back turn and disappear out the doorway. His own voice felled stricken as a tree in his throat, as his heart strove to make sense of its own startled leap. He stood a moment in chill of Marangoz's words, before following his Commander out into the yard.

It would be rash to leap to conclusions. The Warden still had his Antivan- somewhere. He still had a life to live and a nation indebted to him.

Had it been enough, before? Loghain strangled his doubts and their Blighted whispers.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a snippet I wrote ages ago. I'm rewriting this interaction in a more set time and place, currently.


End file.
